It's not exactly glamorous, but if you skip housekeeping, it will catch up to you sooner or later. Julia and Marcus sit down with three of the sharpest minds in the business – Mark Falconer, Chad Reiber, and Michal Bialecki – to discuss the latest technology insights, their own real-world experiences, and recommendations to help prevent inefficiencies and outages. 

This one gets technical fast, with deep discussion on the care and feeding that keeps your system healthy long after go-live. If you manage (or depend on) a Db2 for z/OS environment, this panel is required listening.

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

How often do you interact with a mainframe each day? More than you might think...Eddie Roe and Paulo Queiroz discuss the longevity and the future of the mainframe platform, and how that may translate to career success for the next generation of Db2 professionals. It seems that old dogs could learn from these new tricks - present company excepted from "old," of course. 

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Sheryl Larsen, IBM Gold Consultant and Hall of Fame speaker, shares how she was “forced” from robotics and assembler into DB2 and turned it into a lifelong passion for optimizers and performance tuning. Sheryl also discusses the surprising growth of mainframe MIPS in the AI era, security driven hybrid cloud realities, and war stories from rescuing real world workloads under extreme pressure.

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Twenty years at IBM will teach you a lot about technology, but Marcin Marczewski believes relationships matter just as much. An active member of PDUG, Marcin is on a mission to make UG meetings as engaging as they are educational.

The fun doesn't stop at city tours, though; Marcin goes deep on what's changing in the Db2 world. (For example: if you're wondering what your job is going to look like now that Genius Hub is around, this episode is for you.) Hear Marcin's insights - including the answer to the question "What's Bob?" - and learn where you may get a hands-on sneak peek at Db2 Genius.

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

From quantum chemistry to Db2, Jørn Thyssen’s journey is anything but typical. What started with a PhD and a few too many acid-damaged lab coats led to early work in neural networks, and eventually to Db2 via a “weird platform” called the mainframe. 

His story shows there’s no single path into our community, and his advice is simple: learn by doing, even when things break. Along the way, he shares insights on where Db2 is headed next.

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Kacper Kubica didn't exactly ease into Db2 - he was "thrown into the ocean" and ended up sailing (pun intended). In this episode, we learn how saying yes has helped Kacper become a recognizable name in the Db2 community. Kacper shares his perspective on community found within user groups, why he blogs as a learner as much as an expert, and how being a sailing captain shapes his work-life balance. A conversation that's equal parts technical, human, and genuinely fun! 

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Consultant Mark Gillis describes the early days of his career as a series of events that happened “completely by accident.” More than 30 years later, it all seems to have worked out... In this episode, Mark shares how he anticipates the next big impacts in Db2 technology, discusses some favorite pastimes, and tells the story of the time he received advice from himself via generative AI. A fascinating conversation, if we say so ourselves.  

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

IBM Db2 for z/OS SWAT Team leader Anthony Ciabattoni discusses his unconventional start in Db2, including an early realization that prompted him to adjust his career path. Hear about his mentors and career progression, a corporate hostage situation that was resolved by Jimmy Carter (not that one), and his responses to the the "rabbit hole" questions that Marcus & Julia identified in their pre-interview research. 

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Executive IT Specialist Cuneyt Goksu has more than 25 years' experience in Db2, and has volunteered with IDUG for nearly as long. Cuneyt discusses his start with mainframe back in the days of Db2 v2 and Db2-L  – in the mists of ancient times, per Marcus – and discusses life as a passionate mainframe enthusiast, former IBM Gold Consultant and long-time instructor. Learn how marriage changed his career approach, and what prompted Julia to comment "it must be great to have all that in your head" (slightly enviously, we think). 

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

In this episode, Marcus asked guest Haakon Roberts to "unpack the sweeties from the box of delights that is Version Next" of Db2 for z/OS. (With an ask like that, how could Haakon refuse?) Hear a preview of Haakon's planned IDUG #EMEA25 session, including why users can now have their cake and eat it relative to Db2 stability and product quality. Haakon also shares some recent updates and current developments for Db2 v13.

Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org.